Cat tunnels are a wonderful addition to any home. They can provide a safe hiding space for “bush dwellers,” cats who prefer to stay low to the ground and tend to seek out spots that are hidden, such as under an end table, or even under the sofa or bed. Tunnels also provide endless hours of play. Allegra and Ruby were very excited when they got a chance to review the Ultimate Cat Tunnel from Pets Can Play.

This collapsible crinkle tunnel features crinkle paper at both ends, but unlike other tunnels we’ve reviewed, the crackle noise is a bit more subtle, which worked well for us because Allegra is super sensitive to noise and usually runs from the sound of even a paper bag being crumpled up. The tunnel is big and sturdy. You can easily connect two tunnels to make kitty’s playground even bigger. By connecting two tunnels, it offers even more flexibility for play: you can bend the tunnels and even wind them around furniture if you want your cats to enter/exit a certain way, which makes it a great tool for catifying your home.

It features a front and back exit, two side holes and one top hole. You can close off one of the exits. The side holes are large enough for even larger cats to easily fit through. The tunnel easily stored in its own zippered bag by closing the tunnel with velcro straps – a feature I particularly like because it avoids the strings that other tunnels use.

Allegra and Ruby are having a blast exploring and playing with this tunnel. As usual, Ruby is more adventurous, while Allegra initially took her time exploring. They love to stalk each other from inside and around the tunnel.

I only have two hands, so I wasn’t able to film the girls playing with their Bird Catcher PRO/EX, also from Pets Can Play, from inside the tunnel. They went nuts batting at the feathers through the holes.

This is a well-made, sturdy tunnel that I believe will hold up well to even vigorous play.

The Ultimate Cat Tunnel is available from Amazon with free shipping for Prime members, and comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. Editor’s note: the tunnel sold out on Amazon as of this morning, but will be back in stock this coming weekend in limited supply. Pets Can Play expects to have a large shipment available in early April.

FTC Disclosure: I received this product for review at no charge. I also received a fee for writing this review. Receiving the free product and the fee did not influence my review. All reviews on The Conscious Cat will always reflect my honest and unbiased opinion.

24 Comments on Review: The Ultimate Cat Tunnel

David Pappas

August 11, 2015 at 9:59 am (5 years ago)

This tunnel gets a solid A for fun, a B for design, and a D for sturdiness. Our two Maine Coons love the tunnels. The design is better than anticipated with the 3 side vent holes which allows for more cat interactive fun. However it is probably wise to get one tunnel per cat or at least two tunnels, which of course doubles the cost. The current list price on Amazon (8-9-2015) is $32.95. Easy to clean, easy to fold up to get it out of the way if need be. Unfortunately the tunnels are a bit small in diameter for Maine Coons. And, contrary to the paid review above, after 5 months of heavy use by 2 Maine Coons (32+ pounds) the tunnels are showing significant signs of wear and tear. Holes are beginning to open up in the fabric – from claws and two out of the three seams around the side openings are fraying. The previous larger cloth tunnel I had purchased lasted nearly 15 years but of course it is no longer made. I’m not sure the Ultimate Cat Tunnel will last even one year. It is difficult to recommend, but after looking for a long time, including children’s and dog tunnels, there doesn’t seem to be much out there that is made specifically to hold up to Maine Coons.

The tunnel is back in stock on Amazon. It currently states that it will begin shipping on March 30, but Pets Can Play informed me that it will most likely start to ship this Saturday. Supplies are limited, so act quickly. They are expecting another, larger shipment, in early April

Linda Szymoniak

March 24, 2015 at 9:52 pm (5 years ago)

We’ve had a smaller, crinkle tunnel for some time and our smaller cats love it, but our Maine Coon is too big to really play in it. I bought this same tunnel because I felt it would be big enough for him. He hasn’t played with it too much – yet – but our youngest cat, Arata, plays in it all the time. In fact, he loves running through first one tunnel and then barreling through the second. Definitely a high-quality product and our cats have more than made it worth the cost.

The tunnel sold out on Amazon this morning, but I just got an update from Pets Can Play: it will be back in stock this coming weekend in limited supply. They hope to have a large shipment available in early April.

Stephanie B.

I’ve been thinking about getting Carmine and Milita a tunnel for a while now, and this might just be the one I go with. Milita is pretty sensitive to noise as well, so the subtle crinkly noise would be best for her. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

My apologies! The tunnel was still available when I posted this last night, Will. Price point was somewhere around $35 if I recall correctly. I’ll update as soon as I find out when it’s available again.